Lubbock and Texas Tech University leaders had mixed reactions Saturday to Tech head football coach Tommy Tuberville’s resignation.

Here’s what they had to say.

■ Glen Robertson, Lubbock mayor

“I felt sorry for coach when he came to town because he stepped into a no-win position because he followed (former Tech coach) Mike Leach. I always felt like ‘Tubby’ wouldn’t be here for long or that the community would accept him — not because of him, but because of the situation he stepped into.”

“It (feels like) a shock for students. I think that you come to Tech, and football is a huge part of the Texas Tech program, so you want to make sure the coach that leads the team is an adequate coach, and Tommy Tuberville was definitely that guy. For him to leave and go to Cincinnati is kind of a shocker, but I mean it’s nothing that’s going to hold that program down.”

“(Students look for a head football coach) who is going to lead the team, who is going to take into consideration the students on the team, but also somebody who can connect with the community. That’s a big thing students look for and the university is going to be looking for.”

■ Richard Whittenburg, who served as a referee in both the Southwest Conference and Big 12

“I don’t think I was surprised, but I was very disappointed.”

“I hope they find somebody that wants to be in Lubbock, and wants to stay around a while. ... Lubbock has got so many, many great things about it. Some people you can’t make like it.”

■ Eddie McBride, Lubbock Chamber of Commerce president

“I’m very shocked, very surprised. I was hoping for coach Tuberville to have a little bit longer run and a lot more successes. ... We’ve been through coaching changes and football changes before. University leadership, when it changes, the university is very resilient.”

■ Marc McDougal, President of McDougal Realtors and former Lubbock mayor

“Athletics in this day and era is where all the attention is driven to from the media with television appearances, not only talking about football, but basketball and baseball as well. That’s where your publicity comes from. Obviously, the more wins that we have all the way around in sports at Texas Tech not only affects enrollment at Tech, but also affects the business community. Texas Tech is at the heart of what drives the economy here in Lubbock.”

■ John Osborne, CEO of Lubbock Economic Development Alliance

“I haven’t heard much from a lot of our business partners yet, but I know that over the past couple of years the business community has been not only supportive of Tech and Tech football, as well as the football coach, but they’ve been enthusiastic about trying to develop a winning program and one that would bring a lot of positive looks towards Lubbock. ... They would want whatever is going to be best for Tech football to be in place, whether that be with the former coach or a new one.”

■ Statement from Lawrence Schovanec, Tech interim president

“I would like to thank Tommy Tuberville for his service and representation of Texas Tech. We are prepared to move forward, and (Tech Athletics Director) Kirby Hocutt has my complete support as he begins to search for a head coach. We have great leadership in athletics and on this football team.”

■ Danny Koch, member of grassroots organization Committee For Champions

“I’m surprised, but life moves on, and Texas Tech will move on and there will be great days ahead. ... (The Committee for Champions wasn’t) supporting coach Tuberville. We were supporting Texas Tech and Texas Tech athletics, and that’s my point. Texas Tech athletics will move on, just have a different leader.”

■ Statement from Jerry Turner, chairman of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents

“Red Raider football has a decorated history of excellence, and we look forward to finding a new head coach to further our success. We wish coach Tuberville good luck in the future.”

■ Windy Sitton, former Lubbock mayor and former Tech regent

“I was shocked because I didn’t know he was looking to go someplace else. I was surprised in that I can’t imagine anyone choosing the job at Cincinnati over the job at Texas Tech.”

“He did not want to be here. It’s obvious. We certainly don’t need or want a head football coach that doesn’t love Lubbock, doesn’t love Texas Tech and doesn’t want to be here.”

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The ONLY comment that "hit the nail on the head" was by Windy Sitton. Thank you, Windy for speaking for me and the majority of TTU alumni, as well as Lubbockites and Red Raider fans across Texas and the whole country!

Hance when he got word that Tubby was dumping on him: "I do think there’s no doubt that the cupboard is better today than it was when he got here. So the right guy will come in and win.”

Kirby at the news conference:"........ what it’s going to take to get us back to the level that we’ve been at and to get us back to the level that we’ve been at......"

Very poor grammar on the part of the AD, but the point is......Hance is full of bull, and Hocutt wants to get the program back to where it once was. He doesn't say who led the program when the program was much better, but he didn't have to......did he?

Why not ask Tom Head what he thinks? Is Sitton the only one with a human pulse here? These other answers sound like they came from a corporate power point presentation.

Lubbock needs to separate the divine soul of the after life from the soul that you live with every day that informs your "Ain't Right Meter" to discern the difference between Hance/James/Tubs types and the majority of people who are just honest and genuine, and not easily duped by spin.

As for Head, his answer would go something like this:

Not surprised at all. Like Glenn Beck said after the Muslim foreigner was reelected, go out into the hinterlands to buy land and gold (Ft. Knox). Strategically, a super smart guy like Tommy needs to protect Lubbock from the northern zones and may be able to come from behind the UN Army lines closing in our Christian kingdom on the plains.

The former mayor hit it square on the head. I have said for three years the only reason this guy took this job was because Tech was the only university (at the time) that would hire him. Some of us met him at a Frienship scrimmage and all he did was trash the players.

I knew then that as soon as he could; he would be out of here! However, I do not believe he wanted it to work out the way it did. I believe his thoughts were that he would stay here 3-4 years and then SEC or PAC 10 or some other similar conference would come running to get him. Sonny Dyke's getting the Cal job let him know where he stood. He is not on his way up... he is on his way down. It is obvious.

Good riddance....

By the way... I am thrilled for Sonny... he is a great coach and a great person... You don't think that.....nah..

Makes sense to me Ms Sitton. Takes a lot of guts to "tell it like it is". One thing to consider: I question the handshake and/or the paper of the Texas Tech big shots. Coach probably thought history could possibly repeat itself from the big slap. A slap or a lockup in the equipment shed...what's the difference. Texas Tech's ethics and morals are two faced. Good luck to Coach in Ohio and Heaven help the next coach who comes along.

As a twice graduate of Texas Tech, I can't remember when I have read such feckless and cowardly comments (except from Ms. Sitton) from our "leaders". You serve us. You should be ashamed. To think that you believe such politically correct blabber is acceptable, Mr. Turner (and others), is a sad commentary on present Lubbock and Texas Tech Leadership. And, to think that we would not see these comments for what they are is insulting.

Windy was not a party to the Massacre of December 30, 2009." Said she wouldn't have anything to do with it.

For having made his statement, Hocutt now needs to re-read his employment agreement and monitor the airport to make sure Dicky Grigg hasn't come to town. As if an employment agreement means anything around here.

The worst news is Kliff won't be asked. As long as Hance has not taken his last breath, no former Coach X QB will be offered this job. So the truth is, we're still being dealt misery by the Fat Rats.

When he saw that Tech was too much for him, he woosed out, to a lesser school, and from there, it's gonna be some high school football program in Montana. I kinda feel sorry for the man, because I don't think Lubbock will be missing him.

My only with the loss of Tuberville is that there's not room on the plane for Hance!

Tech and Lubbock would be much improved if Tubby would take Hance with him to Cincy. Sorry, nobody wants Hance so he won't go!

But, looking forward, Kingsbury is the future. Yes, Kliff is young, but he's one year older than Darrel Royal was when Royal became Head Coach at UT and Royal seemed to have done OK.

Take a chance on Lubbock and take a chance on Tech. Kingsbury has already coached the nation's #1 QB and a Heisman Trophy Winner. Sure, there might be a Heisman Premium to hire Kingsbury now, but Tech will reap the benefits for many, many years into the future.

Not one spoke their true feelings. They sugar coated yet again what we the fans and former students speck very openly...He was not a real coach and for me and I beleive I can speck for many...had no respect for the players, the university. This team will be better because he is gone and whomever comes in...first you will have the players to win then the fans..if not...one of us will let you know how we feel. Enough of the bull and let's get Tech back where it once was..and leave the past behind us..
Gun's Up..

Except Windy! Those that have read Swing Your Sword know she was also disgusted the way Leach was fired and made the BOR aware of her feelings. We need more leaders in the Lubbock community like Windy! You sheep are embarrassing to the community!!